Whistle Down the Wind (1961)

When an injured wife murderer takes refuge on a remote Lancashire farm, the owners three children mistakenly believe him to be the Second Coming of Christ.

Director:

Bryan Forbes

Writers:

Mary Hayley Bell (original novel), Keith Waterhouse (screenplay),

Stars:

Bernard Lee, Alan Bates, Norman Bird

Nominated for 4 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bernard Lee	...	Bostock
Alan Bates	...	The Man
Norman Bird	...	Eddie
Diane Clare	...	Sunday School Teacher
Patricia Heneghan	...	Salvation Army Girl
John Arnatt	...	Superintendent Teesdale
Elsie Wagstaff	...	Auntie Dorothy
Hamilton Dyce	...	The Vicar
Howard Douglas	...	The Vet
Ronald Hines	...	P.C. Thurstow
Gerald Sim	...	Detective
Michael Lees	...	1st Civil Defence Worker
Michael Raghan	...	2nd Civil Defence Worker
May Barton	...	Villager
Hayley Mills	...	Kathy Bostock

Storyline

Little Kathy discovers a man wanted for murder hiding in her family's barn. When she asks him who he is, he says Jesus Christ just before he goes unconscious. Kathy and her siblings are convinced that he is Jesus and try to hide him from grown-ups.

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Plot Keywords:

wife murderer | farm | second coming | murder | barn | 

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Taglines:

A Story About Kids...For Everyone!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 January 1962 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

...woher der Wind weht

Filming Locations:

Bacup, Lancashire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Beaver Films, Allied Film Makers (AFM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original story was written by Hayley Mills's mother, Mary Hayley Bell.

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Goofs

In several scenes, but especially when the children are in the barn discussing a name for the cats, the youngest boy can be seen mouthing the other characters lines before he says his own.

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Quotes

Kathy Bostock: [to Blake thinking he's Jesus] I didn't know you smoked.

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Connections

Referenced in British Men Behaving Badly: Stag Night (1997)

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Soundtracks

"We Three Kings"
(uncredited)
Words and Music by Reverend John Henry Hopkins, Jr.
Incorporated into incidental music

User Reviews

Amazing movie!

I stayed up late Sunday night and all I knew about this film was what I read in the TV guide, that it starred Hayley Mills (I had only seen her in one other film). I didn't expect this to be such a moving and wonderful film. Kathy (Mills) is a girl who finds a man in her barn who she believes is Jesus Christ (Alan Bates,) but he's really a murderer on the run. Along with her siblings and the other town children they all believe in him and take care of him. The ending is very powerful and moving. Beautifully filmed in black and white, I found this to be a really great film. Hayley Mills is excellent, Alan Bates, all the children and the rest of the cast are all terrific. One of the best 1960's British film that I have watched - 10/10.